Grudgeback Ladder

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Large Construct, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 15 (reinforced wood)

Hit Points 76 (9d10+27)

Speed 25 ft. climb 25 ft.

STR 18 (+4)

DEX 12 (+1)

CON 16 (+3)

INT 6 (-2)

WIS 12 (+1)

CHA 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Con +5

Skills Stealth +3, Athletics +6, Perception +3

Damage Vulnerabilities fire

Damage Resistances bludgeoning; piercing

Damage Immunities poison, psychic

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

Languages understands Common but can't speak

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Back-Climbing Grudge. The ladder can climb any surface, including ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. It can move through the space of a creature at least one size smaller than itself, treating that space as difficult terrain.

Ladder's Rungs. A creature can climb the ladder as though it were a normal ladder. If a creature willingly climbs at least 5 feet of the ladder, the ladder has advantage on its next attack against that creature before the end of the ladder's next turn.

Collector of Last Things. When the ladder reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it tears away and preserves one odd token from that creature: a tooth, button, scale, lock of hair, spent arrowhead, or similarly small object. The token appears wedged beneath one of its rungs. A creature that spends 1 minute examining the collection can identify the previous victims by succeeding on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check.

Rigid Construction. The ladder is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. It has advantage on saving throws against effects that would knock it prone or move it against its will.

Actions

Multiattack. The ladder makes two Rung Slam attacks. If both attacks hit the same creature, the target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the ladder. The escape DC is 14.

Rung Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is climbing, standing on, or within 5 feet of the ladder, the attack deals an extra 1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Hooking Climb. Melee weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength or Dexterity saving throw or be pulled up to 10 feet toward the ladder and knocked prone. A creature that fails this save while adjacent to the ladder is grappled.

Spiteful Buckle (Recharge 5-6). The ladder violently folds and unfolds. Each creature within 10 feet must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 bludgeoning damage and falling prone on a failed save, or taking half as much damage without falling prone on a successful one. The ladder can then move up to half its climbing speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Bonus Actions

Scuttle Upward. The ladder moves up to 15 feet along a wall, ceiling, or other climbable surface. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.

Reactions

Not a Step. When a creature within 10 feet of the ladder moves willingly, the ladder makes one Rung Slam attack against that creature if the creature is climbing, standing on, or has moved off the ladder during this turn.

Environment Underdark, Urban, Forest, Mountain

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I only carried you once. Now you carry what you have done. — scratched into a rung

Lore & Description

Appearance

A Grudgeback Ladder resembles a tall, old wooden ladder made from black-brown timber polished smooth by countless hands. Its iron brackets are bent like hooked fingers, and its rungs flex subtly as though breathing. Small trophies protrude from the joints: a child's milk tooth, a brass button, a crow feather, a silver ring split in two, and bits of shell, bone, and fingernail. When it moves, it folds one side over the other and climbs with jerking, insectlike motions, producing a hollow knock with every step.

Behavior & Origins

The first Grudgeback Ladder was built by a carpenter named Pell Varn after his apprentice fell to his death from a scaffold. Pell carved the apprentice's name into every rung and cursed anyone who treated ladders as tools rather than people. Over time, the curse learned resentment. Grudgebacks lurk in abandoned towers, mines, ruined manors, and woodland watchposts, pretending to be ordinary ladders until someone climbs them. Each victory adds a strange keepsake to their collection, which they seem to regard as both a trophy case and a memorial. The most notorious specimen, called Old Pell, haunts the bell tower of Saint Orra's ruined chapel and wants to recover the missing brass whistle of the apprentice who inspired it.

Running Grudgeback Ladder

Tactics

The Grudgeback begins by appearing inert, then uses Scuttle Upward to place itself above or behind the party before striking the highest or most isolated climber. It uses Hooking Climb to drag creatures into reach, follows with Multiattack, and saves Spiteful Buckle for when two or more enemies cluster around it. When bloodied, it climbs onto the ceiling or a high wall and attacks from above; it fights to the death if its collection is threatened, but flees if reduced below 10 hit points and no trophy is at risk.

DM Tips

Telegraph the danger with fresh splinters, scrape marks on walls and ceilings, and a collection of unsettling personal tokens beneath one rung.
Play its movement as a series of abrupt folding snaps and hollow knocks; it cannot speak, but it communicates by angling its rungs and tapping out patterns.
For a weaker party, remove Not a Step and reduce its hit points to 55; for a stronger party, give it a second reaction each round or let Spiteful Buckle recharge on a 4-6.
Let clever characters bait it with a decoy ladder, burn away its trophies, or use its ability to climb ceilings against it in a vertical battlefield.

Loot

The Apprentice's Brass Whistle — A dented whistle bearing the initials P.V. and O.R.; blowing it near Old Pell causes the ladder to hesitate for one round.
Bundle of Unclaimed Tokens — A grisly assortment of teeth, buttons, feathers, rings, and other keepsakes that can identify several missing people or provide clues to earlier victims.
Rung-Iron Bracket — A hooked iron fitting that can be fastened to a normal ladder; once per long rest, it lets that ladder climb a vertical surface for 1 minute.

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Generation Info

Original prompt:
"CR 4: A ladder that resents being climbed and has learned to climb back. It collects something odd from every creature it defeats."

Created: Oct 6, 2026
Modified: Oct 26, 2026

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